Flood victims spared appeal bill

FLOOD-hit Queenslanders who won a battle against insurer RACQ will not have to repay grants they received from the state disaster appeal, Premier Anna Bligh says.

RACQ announced this week it would pay 247 flood damage claims it had originally rejected, after they were reassessed based on new hydrological information and accepted under the insurer’s policy for flash flooding and stormwater run-off.

Insurance payouts were taken into account when the disaster relief appeal assessors decided who should get assistance and how much they should receive.

But Ms Bligh today said people who obtained cash from the fund but had now won an insurance battle would not have to pay back the money.

“These people have suffered enough and I will not be asking them to repay money they received from the appeal,” she said in a statement.